Bread has been both a constant and a catalyst in Shannon Wilson’s life.
“There’s nothing like looking at sourdough loaves,” she says. “They’re the most beautiful things in the world.”
When Shannon, the owner of Artigiana Bakery, says this, it’s not hyperbole.
“I’ve had epilepsy since I was 7 years old. Seizures prevented me from getting my license to drive. So I spent a lot of time in the house. It’s when I taught myself how to make sourdough bread,” she says. “It was something I could bake without having to ask someone to take me to the store for loads of ingredients. Flour, water and salt are simple.”
In between her job as a chef at a local grocery store, Shannon would bake and then post about her creations on social media (@artigiana716). People quickly took notice and asked how they could get their hands on them. It was then that Shannon began selling her baked goods from her home, where she expanded beyond sourdough loaves to focaccia, croissants, cinnamon rolls and more.
People are also reading…
Shannon’s seizures eventually subsided, and she was able to get her driver’s license. It inspired her to kick her passion into another gear.
“I thought to myself, ‘What are you doing? You can finally drive, and you’ve changed nothing about your life,’” says Shannon.
She left her job at the grocery store, rented a commercial kitchen, continued to finetune her style and started providing bread service for local establishments including Lucia’s on the Lake and Bratt’s Hill by Chef Darian, while also selling at Hamburg and West Seneca farmers markets.
Shannon's sourdough bread will get a starring role at Artigiana, the bakery she's opening on Seneca Street in Buffalo’s Larkinville neighborhood.
Shannon prides herself on a consistent result. Her signature sourdough loaves have the same great taste, time after time. They are not heavy. No burnt bottoms, and they have fewer holes for jam to fall through. Most importantly, they produce a great crumb.
“I love making sourdough the star of the show,” she says. “You can put a lot of fun stuff on a big piece of bread.”
The bread will definitely get a starring role at Artigiana, a bakery that Shannon is opening on Seneca Street in Buffalo’s Larkinville neighborhood. The bakery is slated to open for bread and pastry orders in January 2025, with a full-service breakfast and lunch coming in February.
Breakfast will include croissants, morning buns, cinnamon rolls and breakfast sandwiches. Lunch will feature a signature sandwich and a Make Your Own option, as well as rotating specials. Customers can enjoy seating on both the first and second floors, with rooftop options in the warmer months.
No matter where you sit, make sure you look behind the counter, where you’ll see sourdough loaves rising in the oven—the beautiful bakes that started it all.
